An agricultural combine is a machine used to harvest a variety of crops from a field. During a harvesting operation, a corn header at the front of the combine cuts ripened crop from the field. Row dividers of a corn header (i.e., a type of header) direct rows of corn stalks to ear separation chambers or stripping plates and then to an auger. The auger advances the crop towards the vehicle centerline. A feederhouse transfers the crop material into the combine by way of a conveyor such as an elevator assembly. Processing machinery such as threshing and separating assemblies within the combine further separate, clean and/or transfer the grain for storage.
During harvesting, the moisture of the crops in the field may change throughout a harvesting session because of dew formation and evaporation, field conditions (e.g., proximity to water, elevation of the field, time elapsed since prior irrigation), weather, or any combination thereof. Different moisture levels can change the manner in which grain passes through the subassemblies of the harvester. Dry grain may be more prone to fly away, and dry leaves may be more likely to break off and collect in parts of the harvester. Wet grain may be more prone to accreting and build-up in parts of the harvester. Wet grain plants may also be tougher and more likely to suffer grain (e.g., corn kernel) loss during harvesting. This situation is disadvantageous because, if allowed to accumulate, such material can cause the combine harvester to overload and prevent harvesting operations.
Therefore, there is still a need for a header that can reduce grain loss and allow for harvesting in any condition without requiring the operator to manually adjust the header e.g., the auger hood, to optimize header performance. The present invention addresses the foregoing issues of conventional headers.